APPRENTICESHIP AT MARC O'POLO

AS PART OF OUR THREE-PART SERIES ON THE TOPIC OF APPRENTICESHIPS, WE HAVE INTERVIEWED THREE STUDENTS FOR YOU, SHOWING HOW VARIED THE ENTRY INTO MARC O'POLO AFTER SCHOOL CAN BE.
TO START, WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO HENDRIK WHO IS CURRENTLY COMPLETING A DUAL STUDY PROGRAM AT A DISTANCE-LEARNING UNIVERSITY.
A DUAL STUDY PROGRAM AT MARC O'POLO HAS MANY ADVANTAGES, SO YOU CAN DIVE DIRECTLY INTO DAILY WORK, GAIN PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, AND ALSO IMPROVE YOUR FINANCES.

WHAT MAKES YOUR DUAL STUDY PROGRAMME AT MARC O'POLO SPECIAL? 

A dual study programme typically alternates between studying and working every three months. For me, this rhythm is different: I work about 30 hours a week, take Fridays off and study at the weekend. It sounds stressful but you get used to it. The method of study also varies: distance learning requires a lot of self-organisation, for example, as you have to find all the relevant media and content on the given platforms and then prepare independently for the exams. I learn best visually, but podcasts and scripts are available in addition to videos.

I particularly enjoy the freedom of being able to customise everything. Not only can I adjust my study hours and exam dates depending on my current department and according to my plans, I can even determine the order of exams and homework. And, by coordinating with my instructor, I can choose practical departments depending on my interests and what makes sense. All this provides me with enormous flexibility. In addition, the combination of tech topics in a fashion environment makes my studies perfect for me.

WHICH DEPARTMENTS HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY WORKED IN? WHICH TASK DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST?

I started in Digital Business Conception as a project manager before switching to Logistics, where I worked on projects and processes. Over the last few months, I’ve been involved in the various sub-departments of Data Intelligence, such as Data Engineering and Data Analysis. In the meantime, I’ve arrived in E-Commerce. Here, I’ll visit the CRM and Loyalty, Performance Marketing, and Content & Category Management teams and finally the Conversion Rate Optimisation team. 

The coolest task so far was one of my first: designing the new Company Page. Now that the page is active, I can see my ideas and contributions. In general, it’s exciting when the tasks align with my course content, and when practical experience enriches the theoretical frameworks I encounter in my modules.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE TRAINEES? 

Learn as much as you can to discover your interests and to find your own path. And above all: enjoy yourself. There are so many benefits!